On September 11, 2025, Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ set the stage for a major showdown in the world of European entertainment by announcing that Ireland will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is allowed to compete. The statement, delivered with a sense of gravity and urgency, cited the “ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza” as the core reason for this unprecedented stance. The move has sent ripples across Europe, with several other countries considering similar actions and Eurovision organizers now facing one of the most politically charged controversies in the contest’s long history.
RTÉ’s statement was clear and uncompromising: “It is RTÉ’s position that Ireland will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, if the participation of Israel goes ahead, and the final decision regarding Ireland’s participation will be made once the EBU’s decision is made.” According to BBC News, the broadcaster elaborated that Ireland’s participation “would be unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza.” The statement also expressed “deep concern by the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza, the denial of access to international journalists to the territory, and the plight of the remaining hostages.”
The decision comes at a time when the European Broadcasting Union (EBU)—the organization responsible for Eurovision—is already under intense scrutiny. At the EBU’s General Assembly in July, member broadcasters from across the continent raised concerns about Israel’s continued participation in the contest amid the conflict in Gaza. According to Deadline, the EBU responded by launching an “extensive consultation process” and extending the option for countries to withdraw from the contest without penalty until December.
RTÉ’s position is far from isolated. Slovenia’s national broadcaster, RTVSLO, has also stated it will withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel is permitted to participate. Iceland’s RÚV is in a similar position, with Director General Stefán Eiríksson telling local media, “It is likely that if there is no change in EBU’s position and it does not respond to these voices of concern coming from us, from Spain and Slovenia and others, then that will call for reactions from these broadcasters. But let’s just wait and see.” Spain’s Culture Minister, Ernest Urtasun, has been particularly vocal, telling RTVE’s morning news show that Spain “may also not take part should Israel participate” and emphasizing that “we cannot normalise Israel’s participation in events like Eurovision.”
These mounting threats of withdrawal are not happening in a vacuum. The controversy over Israel’s participation in Eurovision has only grown more intense since the escalation of violence in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which killed nearly 1,200 people, injured thousands, and resulted in more than 250 hostages being taken. Israel’s subsequent bombing campaign in Gaza has claimed more than 60,000 lives, according to Palestinian health authorities. The humanitarian crisis has drawn worldwide condemnation and ignited fierce debate about the role of international cultural events in times of war.
The tension has spilled onto the Eurovision stage itself. In 2024, Israel’s entrant, Eden Golan, finished fifth after receiving strong public support in the voting, but was booed on stage and even received death threats. Earlier this year, thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators protested outside the Eurovision venue in Malmö, Sweden, over Israel’s inclusion. Yuval Raphael, Israel’s 2024 entrant and a survivor of the Nova festival massacre, admitted she had practiced rehearsing with booing sounds to prepare for the hostile reception. She ultimately finished second in the competition.
Eurovision organizers now find themselves in a precarious position. Martin Green, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating, “We understand the concerns and deeply held views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. We are still consulting with all EBU members to gather views on how we manage participation and geopolitical tensions around the Eurovision Song Contest.” He added, “Broadcasters have until mid-December to confirm if they wish to take part in next year’s event in Vienna. It is up to each member to decide if they want to take part in the contest and we would respect any decision broadcasters make.”
The EBU’s consultation period is set to end in November or December, after which a final decision on Israel’s participation will be made. Broadcasters, including RTÉ, have until mid-December to confirm their involvement in the 2026 contest, which is scheduled to take place in Vienna in May. RTÉ plans to make its final decision only after the EBU’s ruling.
The stakes are high. Ireland is one of Eurovision’s most successful countries, having won the contest seven times—more than any other nation—with its last victory in 1996. Typically, 37 to 40 countries take part in Eurovision each year, but Frank Dermody, Chair of the Irish Eurovision Fan Club, warned that if more broadcasters follow Ireland’s lead, “you may end up with a competition of 15 or 20 countries.” He described RTÉ’s move as a “very good decision,” adding, “I found it quite difficult the last two years watching a country use our competition of peace and love to spread the opposite.”
The controversy has also drawn support from within the Eurovision community. Earlier this year, more than 70 former Eurovision contestants signed a letter calling on the organizers to ban Israel from the 2025 competition. This collective action reflects a growing sense among artists and fans that Eurovision, long celebrated as a contest of unity and cultural exchange, cannot remain insulated from the world’s political realities.
Meanwhile, the conflict in the Middle East shows no sign of abating. In a recent escalation, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani accused Israel of “state terrorism” after an Israeli airstrike in Qatar killed six people, including a Qatari security official. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the attack as “fully justified,” stating that it targeted Hamas leaders responsible for the October 7 massacre. The violence and the resulting humanitarian crisis in Gaza have only intensified calls for accountability and prompted renewed scrutiny of Israel’s participation in international events.
As the EBU’s consultation period draws to a close, the future of Eurovision 2026 hangs in the balance. The contest, once a symbol of pan-European harmony and light-hearted rivalry, now finds itself at the center of a heated debate about ethics, politics, and the limits of cultural diplomacy. For now, all eyes are on the EBU—and on whether the world’s most-watched song contest can find a way forward without losing its soul.